Something Just Like This
by Eiridian
Summary: Non-superhero AU in which tights and capes are not required to save someone and be their hero.


Title song by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

* * *

 **Something Just Like This**

There were two undeniable truths that existed in the world of Wally West at this point in his life, one being that a good education as damn expensive and the other being that coffee was a blessing to humankind. Thankfully, Wally didn't have to worry about being able to afford his education due to well-off parents and a doting uncle, but he still wanted pocket change for random impulse buys and other things that his parents wouldn't cover. This is where the second truth came into Wally's life. Going to graduate school for biochemistry easily wore away a person's sanity after a while and Wally found refuge one early morning by literally stumbling into Unamused Coffee House.

Hours of all night studying in the campus library had turned Wally into an aimless zombie by the time he crawled back into the hazy morning light. His apartment was small but cozy and within walking distance of campus, just a short walk through the downtown shared by the university and the city. He had a roommate who was agreeable enough, they talked every now and then but for the most part their schedules and the other guy's promiscuity kept Wally from interacting with him. Wally had put an ad in the school paper after deciding that he wanted to take care of paying for his housing without his parents' help. Man, did he regret that decision some days, but at least Evan did make it a bit less lonely.

After practically falling into Unamused and waking up enough to get himself some caffeine, Wally found himself seriously enjoying the warm niche of a business that was so unassuming from its façade that it'd be easily overlooked. There was a balance of light from the one front window and the muted hanging can lights to counteract the inherent darkness that the gray stone walls and industrial beamed ceiling gave the place. It was inviting in a strange, offbeat way, and it always smelled like freshly ground coffee beans mixed with the sweetness of fresh baked pastries.

Wally found himself coming back to Unamused time after time for the peace it gave him in his often tumultuous school filled life, until he eventually decided to apply for a part-time job since he was already so frequently there. He picked up a couple of late night shifts where only a few tired patrons trickled in an out, the world outside was dark and sleepy, and he could get some work done while getting paid and being surrounded by the lovely aroma of coffee. It was a win all around since he hardly ever slept anyways.

Since Wally worked the night shift when he did work, he interacted with a different type of clientele than what the coffee house saw during daylight hours. There was the odd college student every so often, late night insomniacs, a couple of business people, that one shady guy that came in at midnight on the dot every night without fail, and there was Officer Grayson. Officer Grayson, with his unruly black hair, slim muscular body clad in his dark police uniform, and his piercing blue eyes that always looked too sad, he was the one person that Wally always hoped to see walk through the door.

* * *

The first time Wally met Officer Grayson was on a Tuesday towards the end of his shift at eight past four in the morning. The officer entered the coffee house silent as a shadow, the cheery jingle of the bell above the door the only thing to give his presence away. Looking up from his notebook of hastily scrawled class notes, Wally's customary smile dimmed a few degrees as he took in the young officer's disheveled appearance and tired looking eyes. The officer looked younger than Wally, but he already looked like hell was not a foreign place to find himself in.

"I don't care what it is, I don't care what it costs, just make it strong." His voice was scratchy and rough, which told Wally that he'd either been using it all night or had been fighting off tears recently, or both. A credit card was being held out for Wally to take, the pale fingers holding it looking more suited for piano keys than the dark bruises that were steadily blooming all over his hands.

"Nah, this one's on me. You look like you really need it." Wally waved the card away and stood from his stool behind the register. Deep blue eyes blinked in slow surprise as the tall redhead stretched his limbs out before heading towards the coffee grinder and switching it on.

"Thank you." The officer's voice was quiet now as he tucked his card back into his wallet, but there was a tiny waver to it that made Wally think he might be close to tears again. Saddened that the officer's night had made it so that such a small gesture of kindness almost brought him to tears, Wally focused his hands on his task but kept an eye on the tired officer now leaning heavily on the counter in wait.

Wondering what to say, debating if it was even his place to say anything, Wally took his time making the perfect cup of coffee while being a bit grateful that the place had emptied of its normal night dwellers. The emptiness was peaceful and gave Wally room to think.

"You want to ask." It was not a question and Wally nearly tipped coffee all over himself when he jumped. Blue eyes still looked like they needed rest a long time ago, but they were sharply observant as they watched Wally's movements. "You can, I don't mind."

Wally's eyes could not look away from that steady gaze that seemed to be quietly, gently sizing him up. Thankfully, Wally's hands knew what they were doing even with his attention completely focused elsewhere and somehow he ended up with a generous amount of dark espresso in a paper cup with a couple shots of vanilla syrup. Walking back to the register where Blue Eyes was still leaned heavily upon the counter, Wally never dropped contact with that heavy gaze as he grabbed a lid and pressed it onto the top of the cup. Midway through the exchange of coffee from one person to the other, right as hands lightly brushed as they curled around the cup, Wally paused and held on as he stared into those eyes.

"Are you going to be okay?"

The carefully crafted and held together exterior dropped for a moment as blue eyes widened in surprise before softening with gratitude and lowering to their still touching fingertips. Wally let the officer take the cup, watched as he took a tentative sip, and then couldn't help but smile at the happy little sigh before the coffee cup was adorably cradled close to the officer's chest.

"Yeah, I will be. Just…" A heavy sigh was exhaled and another sip of coffee inhaled. "Just a bad night." At the admittance, it was almost as if the police officer shed the persona his uniform forced on him and he became softer, wearier. "We got a domestic violence call from a neighbor and it was bad. She's in the hospital now with her family, but apparently this had been going on for years without anyone knowing. She had bruises and scars and old broken bones and…and no one knew. It almost makes one want to stay alone…" His strong yet soft voice trailed off, elbows rested on the counter edge with both hands wrapped around the warmth of the coffee cup rested underneath a heavy chin, sad blue eyes staring unseeing in the register's direction.

"Everyone needs someone." Wally's voice was surprisingly confident, enough to make those eyes wander back to his. "Even if it's scary, even if it's hard, even when it hurts, we all need someone. That's what I've always believed." Shoulders shrugged awkwardly under an impassive, unconvinced gaze.

"And yet you spend your nights here studying instead of finding someone to go home to." The officer's tone was dry as he pointedly eyed the open class notes off to the side behind the counter.

"That's just my life for now, but I have every intention of finding my someone someday." Wally gave a careless wave at his schoolwork before refocusing. "You, on the other hand, just sound pessimistic about relationships." The second the words left Wally's mouth he wanted to smack himself. He knew nothing about this man and yet here he was running his mouth. The officer had just dealt with a bad relationship situation, could have been in a bad relationship before that left him damaged, Wally had no clue what was going on in the other's life and probably just insulted a guy who was already having a crappy night.

"Not really." Cool and unfazed, a single shoulder lazily shrugged skyward before the coffee cup was brought back up to thoughtful, downturned lips. "I've had good relationships with all the people in my life. My parents were loving and doting, from what I can remember. My adoptive dad was loving in his own way, but he taught me independence and strength and I've kind of taken after him in the sense that I live simply. Anything that I don't need, I don't have."

He said it so matter of fact, so casually, that Wally felt his heart clench painfully at the realization that the man standing in front of him truly believed that. This man, who had chosen a career path that made him dedicate his all to any and all persons who were in need of help, didn't believe that he needed someone to be there for him. He spent so much time saving other people but he wouldn't let himself be saved.

"Wally?" Wally jumped so violently out of his thoughts that his feet actually became airborne for a moment. For a wild moment, Wally frantically tried to think of anything he'd done in the past that would warrant an officer of the law knowing his name, but then he remembered that he had a nametag pinned to his apron and let out a small sigh of relief.

"Sorry, spaced there for a second." Wally shook his head to banish any residual fog before leaning up on his side of the counter, flirting with the edge of socially acceptable boundaries between strangers as he stared the smaller man down. "You need a pet."

"I'm away from home too much." The reply was nearly instant and a dark brow was raised in challenge.

"Goldfish." Wally parried.

"Are lame and die too easily." Was the smooth continuation to Wally's statement as more coffee was sipped.

"Lizard."

"Not cuddly."

Wally's eyebrows shot up in surprise even as blue eyes practically dared him to comment.

"Hedgehog."

"I do believe you meant to say hairbrush."

There was finally a smile spreading across the officer's face as they fell into easy banter, as if they were old friends, and Wally couldn't help but muse at how handsome that smile made him look and smile right back.

"Thank you, Wally, for making my night better. I needed this." His voice had reverted to its quietly controlled state as he straightened himself off the counter and let his shoulders naturally fall back to assumed what appeared to be an easy, inherently confident stance.

"Hey, anytime, Sunshine." Wally smiled brightly, delighting in the small pout his nickname garnered.

"Grayson, actually. Richard Grayson, but people call me Dick." As Officer Grayson turned to head for the door and Wally's eyes tracked his every movement, the redhead had a feeling that he'd be seeing the other man again.

"Goodnight, Dick."

* * *

It was a few days later that Dick was sitting at his cluttered desk amidst the chaos that was his precinct, trying to trudge through a pile of paperwork. The air-conditioning unit for the building was busted and the loudly whirring ceiling fans were barely moving the stifling air, which of course put everyone in a foul mood.

Papers were being tossed, writing utensils used as projectiles, and irritable tempers were being poked at left and right to ignite heated arguments over the most idiotic of things. Dick felt like he was back in high school and, just as he did back then, decided that his best course of action would be to keep his head down and just focus on his work. He'd had several small cases to deal with the past few days and now it was time for the dull task of documenting them, which was always torture enough by itself without the aid of sweltering heat and crazed coworkers pressing in on him.

"Officer Grayson?" The tentative, slightly worried voice was familiar, and Dick actually stopped trying to glare a hole through his stack of papers to look up into startlingly green eyes. The migraine thumping against his right temple paused for a moment as he wondered why the barista from Unamused was standing in front of his desk, how the tall redhead even found him, and what the hell was he holding?

"It looks like a bit of a madhouse here today." Wally chuckled, glancing around at the police station with interest. Dick didn't hear a word that Wally said, attention glued to a rapidly wiggling nose.

"Wally, what is that?" Dick deadpanned as big brown eyes stared unflinchingly back at his stare.

"Hm? Oh! This is Rhett! I came by to drop him off. It was free adoption day at the shelter so I adopted him for you." Wally grinned happily as he plopped the caramel colored ball of fluff with long floppy ears into Dick's lap. "Ain't he the cutest? He's super snuggly, too, I made sure of that."

It spoke volumes to the level of entropy the police station had reached for none of the other officers to notice that there was a giant, dopily grinning redhead in their midst and an actual live rabbit snuggling about Dick's lap and gently tugging at the buttons on his shirt. Dick was half convinced that he was on some kind of hidden camera show.

"Rhett?" Of all the things that Dick wanted to say to the redhead that had not been one of them. How unusual for him to not be able to instantly gather his thoughts and articulate them. He'd just blame the nose tickling the inside of his elbow for his jumbled thoughts.

"Mmhm, like Thomas Rhett." Wally leaned forward to scratch at the rabbit's forehead, to which the animal actually leaned into as it made a slight chattering noise with its teeth. Glancing up, Wally saw the confused expression plastered on Dick's face. "Country singer? No? You're missing out."

"Wally." Dick enunciated the other man's name very clearly and spoke slow, as one would to a misbehaving child. "What am I going to do with a rabbit? I have no clue how to take care of one." Rhett chose this moment to nuzzle his way into the crook of Dick's elbow and make himself comfortable, which only melted the officer's heart a tiny little bit.

"No worries. The shelter gave me a care sheet and a coupon to a nearby pet supply store, you're all set. I'm happy to go with you, too, if you'd like company." Wally's eyes were bright as he handed over several sheets of care instructions. Noticing the doubt and hesitation clearly evident throughout Dick's entire body, Wally tamped down his excitement and explained himself. "I'm sorry I sprung this on you, we don't even know each other. I'm just kind of an impulsive person and when I saw Rhett I instantly thought of you but, um, obviously didn't really think things through. I'm sorry. I can take him back."

Wally was already moving to pick the bunny from Dick's lap, but arms hastily wrapped protectively around Rhett and lifted him up to be snuggled into Dick's uniform covered chest. Refusing to meet Wally's questioning eyes in favor of scanning the care sheets, Dick's words were hardly discernable as he mumbled.

"Where's the supply store?"

Wally lit up like a Christmas tree.

* * *

A little over a week later after another late night shift, Dick pushed open the door to Unamused and listened to the brief ringing of the bell above him as he walked over to the counter. With the promise of keeping Wally updated on Rhett on his mind and dozens of pictures stored on his phone, Dick narrowed his eyes at the smug looking redhead waiting for him.

"Die a Happy Man, by Thomas Rhett." Wally pointed towards the ceiling where the coffee house's speaker system was streaming out the country song. "You have impeccable timing, Officer Grayson."

Dick had to admit that Wally's happiness was probably the most infectious thing he'd ever encountered.

* * *

Wally worked 10-6 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. His usual motley crew of ragtag late night caffeine junkies kept him company for a few hours but were usually gone by about three, after which Wally would clean up the coffee house, make himself a brew and finish whatever schoolwork he had. Some mornings he would see a barely awake businessperson on their way to an early morning or a student dragging themself to the library for last minute cramming. Sometimes the early morning patrons stayed for a bit as they drank their coffee, sometimes they left right after being handed their drink and left Wally to his own devices as he waited for the sun to rise.

Most nights that Wally worked lately he had a new regular. More often than not, Officer Grayson would stop in at some point during Wally's shift for a pick me up. Dick never told Wally what he wanted, giving the redhead free reign to make whatever he thought the officer needed and somehow, each and every time, that tiny little happy tilt of Dick's lips told Wally that he'd hit the mark. Some nights Dick would lean up against the counter and chat with Wally for a bit before disappearing off into the night from whence he came, some nights he would sit at one of the café tables to rest his weary body and let the coffee soothe the parts of him that he couldn't reach.

Some nights Wally could tell that Dick just needed quiet to come down from whatever stress the day put on him, so he would make sure the sound system was turned down with easy listening country music before picking up his textbooks and notes to join Dick in silent company at whichever table he'd fallen into. On the nights that Dick was clawing his way out of whatever hell he'd plunged into with what strength he had left, Wally would sit and let him talk, yell, cry, whatever he needed to in order to make his way back. It didn't matter how long it took, Wally would always bring him back.

Dick didn't always come in right after a shift, sometimes he would come to Unamused clad in thigh hugging jeans and sinfully soft looking long sleeved shirts, a book held in one hand and Rhett snuggled close in the other. Rhett would hop around seeking mischief while Dick enjoyed a leisurely night of coffee and literature across the table from Wally, who would often ask what riveting tale was holding the raven's attention. As Rhett happily munched on baby carrots offered by the shady guy in the corner, Dick would paint worlds of flying ships, star travelers, deep sea mysteries, ancient mythology, and forbidden Victorian romances for Wally's rapt imagination to lap up.

Weeks into their new, unusual friendship, they were once again sitting across from each other with cups of coffee and papers between them. Dick was wading through another sea of case reports and Wally was a bit frazzled over his impending midterms when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, Wally quickly typed his response to a classmate asking about their study guide before shoving it back into his pocket and turning back to his notes. Feeling eyes on him, Wally glanced up to find Dick watching him with that damned indecipherable expression that he wore when he was figuring something out about the person he was looking at.

"Batman, huh?" Dick finally asked, resting an elbow on the tiny space of table not obstructed by papers to lean his cheek on, a sure signal that this was going to be a good conversation.

"Hey, Batman is awesome." Wally instantly defended his phone case choice, ignoring his previous determination to cram until his eyeballs fell out in favor of defending his superhero.

"Superman is cooler." Dick quirked an eyebrow, which told Wally that he didn't necessarily believe that but rather said it for the sake of riling Wally into an argument. Of course Wally chomped the bait down whole.

"Not even close to how awesome Batman is. Superman would be nothing special if he were back on Krypton, Batman on the other hand is human like everyone else on his home planet but he's trained and used his intelligence to make himself better. In a fight all Batman needs to do is pull out some Kryptonite and Superman is down, how lame is that! Of all the weaknesses to have, because of course everyone has a weakness, the man of steel falls to a rock." Wally had to pause to catch his breath, his voice having raised in volume during his argument but thankfully the small cluster of fellow students all had headphones on. "Anyways, Nightwing is hands down the best, if we're getting into that." Wally may have been pouting, just a bit, at the amused glint in Dick's eyes.

"You know they're all just comic book heroes, not real, right?" Dick was teasing him, which only made Wally pout harder. Shaking his head with a light sigh, Dick turned his eyes back to his reports and picked his pen back up. "I don't take much stock in superheroes anymore, not when there are people like you out there that make them all pale in comparison."

"I…what?" Wally had forgotten how to swallow properly and was choking on his own saliva as he repeated Dick's nonchalant statement over and over in his head.

"They go out and apprehend bad guys, but that's what police do." Dick's voice was light, matter of fact, as he lifted his eyes back to Wally's. "What they don't do is give hours of their life doing something as mundane as grinding coffee beans, even though that simple act can make so many people's days or nights better. They don't talk to broken down police officers to make sure they're okay or offer their friendship as easily as you did to a complete stranger. As far as I'm concerned, they all have nothing on your weird country music loving self." Dick's voice was serious, leaving room for no rebuttal, but at the same time as easy as if he were stating that it was dark out.

"I'm no Superman." Wally weakly argued, suddenly feeling too warm in his skin that felt two sizes too big.

"Of course not." Dick scoffed as he turned back to his work, seemingly annoyed by Wally's obvious statement. "You're better. I couldn't just call Superman up on the phone in the middle of the night if I need someone to talk me off of the edge of a bridge."

"You…you don't have my number either." Wally was rapidly losing brain functions as he was overloaded with everything coming from Dick's mouth, winding around the crevices in his brain and short-circuiting them to the point that Wally didn't even know what he was saying anymore.

"Wanna fix that?" Dark blue eyes twinkled mischievously up through long eyelashes, and Wally swears that his heart skipped its next few beats before tumbling ventricle over atrium in love.

* * *

The bell over the door jingled at ten after five, right as Wally was restocking supplies in preparation for the end of his shift. Poking his head up from where he'd been kneeling on the floor, green eyes narrowed in confusion as they saw no one between the counter and door before scanning the place. Catching sight of a smaller than usual figure sitting hunched over a table off to the side, face buried in trembling hands and shoulders shaking with every breath, Wally instantly stood and began walking. Apron was shed in practiced, fluid motions, open sign was flipped to closed as it was passed, all while Wally's steady stride remained unbroken.

Pulling up a chair right next to Dick's, Wally gently but firmly coaxed Dick's body off of the table so that his face was instead tucked into the hollow of Wally's neck, hands were wound around Wally's back and convulsively gripping onto the back of his shirt, and shoulders were enveloped in the tight hold of Wally's arms. Hugging Dick close, feeling every moist breath forced from Dick's lungs break against his neck to mingle with tears dropping steadily upon his skin, Wally closed his eyes and hid himself in the warmth of smooth skin where neck met shoulder. With one hand tangled in mussed black locks and the other resting between strong shoulder blades with dark fabric fisted tightly between his fingers, Wally held Dick tight with the insane hope that maybe he could absorb just a fraction of the hurt that wracked the smaller man's soul.

They sat like that for long minutes as Dick slowly cried himself out, neither of them loosening the death grips that they had on the other. They both needed this and knew that, even without a single word spoken. Wet, tentative kisses were being pressed to Wally's neck where tears had previously traveled, and Wally felt a fond smile tugging at his lips as his fingers loosened and began to slowly run through the hair they'd been clinging to.

"Wally?" Dick asked quietly after he placed on last lingering kiss right between Wally's collarbones.

"Yeah?" Wally's voice was unusually soft to match Dick's as he let the body in his arms pull away before it surged up to attach heated lips to his. Resuming his previous hold at the back of Dick's neck, Wally dropped his other hand down to the slight curve of Dick's lower back to pull the other man on top of him and forcing him to straddle Wally's lap.

Sinking into the kiss, reveling in the soft friction of lips on lips, Wally leaned them back into the chair and practically purred when he felt Dick's body melt into his. The kiss was wet, Dick's lips still stained with salt, and Wally lapped it all up. His tongue ran lightly over parted lips before he gently suckled each one into his mouth, roving his tongue all over and relishing the small bursts of saltiness that landed on his taste buds. When he'd licked and sucked all of the salty water from Dick's lips he resumed the best, sweetest, most heart wrenching first kiss that he'd ever had. Wally fervently hoped that it'd be his last.

Small whines and whimpers that Wally would have never expected escaped Dick's mouth as his lips were being teased, but now that the kiss was being properly continued they turned into sweet little moans that Wally happily swallowed along with his own. Fingers had somehow worked of their own accord so that by the time they finally pulled away from each other, still panting hot breaths into each other's mouths with hooded eyes, Wally had the back of Dick's shirt freed from being tucked in his pants with his fingers splayed out against deliciously hot, quivering skin encasing the solid muscle of Dick's back.

"I don't need superheroes, not when I have you." Dick admitted before giving into temptation and capturing Wally's lips again, kissing him like a man on death row. Their second kiss was just as hot and sweet as their first as their tongues tangled and explored, bodies were pressed impossibly closer, and moans began to form from their chests to send vibrations and shivers throughout their bodies. Wally would have been more than happy to let it continue, but he had something to say and he was pretty sure the morning shift people were going to turn up any second now and he'd much rather continue this somewhere more private. Pausing the kiss with a hand pressed to Dick's chest, coincidentally right over his thudding heart, Wally pulled back a breath and opened his eyes to drown in the blue ones mere inches from him. Smiling at the put out, curious expression on his boyfriend's beautiful face, Wally gently stroked the back his one had was still pressed against before reaching up to kiss Dick's forehead.

"Neither do I."

It took a moment for Dick to make sense of the words' context, but when he did Wally witnessed the brightest smile light up Dick's entire body just as the first rays of morning sun streamed into the coffee house.


End file.
